Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-02-16
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Commerce at the Annual meeting held on. the
Sta instant were published in thu SPECTATOR
| last week. The Annual report of the Secretary
omitted then appears now.
STANTON CHAMBER OF
| COMMERCE,
STAUNToN. VA, Jan. 81. 1887.
To the President and Directors, Stanton Cham
| Der Of Commerce.
GENTLEMEN:-In submitting the second an
| uuai report of the Staunton Chamber of Com
| merce. 1t affords me sincere pleasure TO say.
that whilst it is young institution it is gene
| rally conceded as having been useful, valuable
and worthy of continued support.
1t lis not the good fortune OF this organization,
| no more than 1T is the experience of similar
| bodies in other cities. to accom- ish all the
objects for the success of which it has earnestly
iaoored. 1t Is its mission to take cognizance
OF every public Interest calculated to promote
the general business welfare of the city aud
| communicate watch with vigilance Tvs OPP
| portun1t1es OF expandiug ade.intercOurse and
| increasing manufacturing industries for which
| our location Is adapted, and fostering all the
contribute to the strength and Vitality of our
| varied pursuits.
If some of our members should seem despon.
oent because of failure to secure every measure
| and to have crowned with success every effort
| made for landable purposes, they should re
| member, that such experience is the recital of
| too many committees and annual reports OF
sister institutions, and from which we cam OF
claim immunity. We should rather take
| courage. as they have DONE and with renewed
| nope, as fresh strength is gathered, be willing
to follow in their footsteps through every vlcis
|
| mateiy reward determined effort.
IL is IN the deliberations of bodies like this.
wnere the suggestions and pians-co-operative
In their nature-to secure prosperity are form
| ed. and where mind coming in contact with
MIND; produces the germ which buds through
| individual and concentrated effort into full
| grown fruit.
| THE ASSOCIATION IN GOOD CONDITION.
During the past year the roll of nj mbers
| has decreased 9 In member. by Withdrawal ald
| removal. No deaths have occurred. The in
| crease In memb RS has been and present
| total Of50 which leaves the Chamber unimpair.
| ed in its strength and with force sufficient If
| properly exercised, to guide 1t safely to the
| accomplishment of every purpose coming
| within the scope OF its operations. Suggestive
| and auxiliary and sometimes enabling in Its
| functions, 1t often prevents ipjudicious haste
| as often opens the way to capital in seeking
| counsel wnen individual and associated ability
| anu SIX i'll are seeking to develop with prof.
| opportunities and resources in the community.
| In this connection. may be permitted to re-
| mark, that 1t offers very good training. In
many essentials, to young men embracing In
1 any business pursuit, and from the medical
| legal aud educational professions, the Cham
| bers of Co nmerce of other ties. as our own
| 10 some extent. has received a valuable mem
| bership.
CHARTER.
| The recommendation made in my last an
pual report that the Chamber should obtain a |
charter of Incorporation was subsequently
| adopted, and a committee consisting of Messrs. |
A. &. Gordon W. A. Gushing, and W. Todd |
| was appointed to carry ont this purpose. 1t
| Mclaughlin, Judge of this Circuit, but as the
powers the Court in such matters are limit
ed to benevolent and charitable institutions,
except in case where capital stock is subscrb- |
ed, the application is necessarily postponed |
| till the meeting of the next legislature when |
the charter can be obtained from that body.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING.
| About the close of our first fiscal year, the |
Chamber most ZealOusiy ente ed into the effort
| to secure government building. bv the pre- |
| parati"n of petition aud securing hundreds |
of signatures thereto l. this work our brother |
members, NJ ssrs. E. NJ. Cushing aud J. /; |
| Tinsiey the first 10 securing the Endorsement |
| of the entire community, and the latter In pre- |
pairing data to strengthen The petition before |
The committees and the Congress. rendered the /
ject is attained, the history of he connection |
this Chamber sustains to 1t will be pleasant |
recollection to every member.
COUPON REsoLUTIoNs.
On the 10Th of April there was a called meet. |
ing of the CHAMBER of Commerce to take into |
consideration the proclamation made by Gov |
Lee by request of the legislature. invoking
the people to assemble and deliberate upon the |
threatened calamity which might come 10 pass /
gripping the ability OF the State to provide for
the necessary expenses of government if there |
should be any general purpose of the tax-pay !
| ers to pay their indebtedness to the Com mon
wealth in coupons series of resolutions
was adopted conforming to the expressed |
wishes of the legislature enforced by the Gov
ernor in the manner stated.
STATISTICS FURNISHED THE GOVERNMENT.
By request of the Government Bureau of
Statistics at Washington. communicated
through Gen. John d. Imbod en- expert Tor
Virginia in collecting Information of its in
dustrial and other interests for pubiicatian in
book form for general distribution, the Cham.
Der, through committees appointed for the |
purpose, returned 10 the Secretary all the in
formation that could be obtained, which was
compiled and forwarded to Gen. I'm boden and
by him transmitted to the Government Blu
reau.
Wren 1t was proposed by the collector OF
Internal Revenue for the district which has
its central Office in this city, to remove the
same, the Chamber took prompt and effectve1
action in the matter and contribut d. doubt
less to the retention of the Office as it was
previously located In this city.
FREIGHT AND MAIL SERVICE
On several occasions during the past year.
the Chamber has been called on to render its
offices as medium in seek ing reforms in the
delivery of freights and improving the mail |
service ny the railroads passing through this
city. The records show that prompt action
was ia K en- in every instance and successful
SO in the matter OF freight delivery. The rail-
road management expressed q desire TO
operate with the PosI-ofice Department at
Washington Ia turthering the public interest |
in respect to the mails.
AUGUSTA AGRICULTURAL AND MACHINE
WORKS.
During the mont tbs of August and Septem-
Der of asst year the Chamber in its auxiliary
relations to the business Interests generally |
of the city conducted the proposition made by
Mr.. L. c. W hite. then OF Norfolk, through the
President OF the Chamber, 10 establish here
company. The scheme was successful, the /
bulk of the s'OcA being subscribed by mem
beers OF it. and now the Augusta Agricultural
and Machine Works" as an established en- |
terprise is asst impartfrg ats good share OF
benefit to the city and the trading country |
tributary 20 it. As this is the first of its kind
W ich byings its reward TO encourage the |
young Cham Der of Commerce in this depart /
ment OF it's usefulness 1t deserves for that, as
we'll as the merits of its management, our sup
port in every manner 1t can be bestowed
TELEPHONE TO HIGHLAND
A committee of this body, Messrs Henry
Hutchinson and NJ. B. Hamrick, are now al |
WORK on The prop ,sition to secure II Telephone
service between this city and the Western in
terror 1t is considered that. if established. 1t
will, whilst greatly facilitating the dispatch OF
business, also increase It's volume.
GRAIN ELEVATOR.
The commercial interests of this city are OF
much larger importaa ice than an tnattentive
observer would suppose. The grain, hay and
other staple products OF the country in direct
com IN unlcaLion with 1t, are annually increas
ing and our dealers are liberal, progressive.
and manifest an excellent spirit towards the
producers in handling heir Commodities. Co
operation W tn the view of estimating accu-
raIel, and thereby making Known tue amount
and Value of production and the exports OF
su Plus from tue county of Augusta il no iarg-
er scope of territory were included, would de-
veIop aggre gates, h astonishing as they would
be emuenJiy useful giving incre tSed
orlance 10 and Information OF our section of
the Valley In It's true relations to the COM
merce of the country. A grain elevator at this
central point would doubtless be in the line OF
our true progress and II 1t should prove tn
proper thing to be accom- piished; the means
for securing IL might be easily commanded
from the farming Interests in cooperation
| with the COMMERCIAL, foe its benefits would
accrue to both. Directly associated with these
meaus for The de elopnent of our commerce
In the manner referred to, should be consider
ed the increasing trade-intercOurseherea con
Quoted by our wholesale staple grocery and |
hard ware merchants, and a retail merchau-
disc of superior proportions.
II the CHAMBER should deem 1t practicable
to institutes system of collecting statistics |
bearing upon all these, as we'll every other |
interest illustrating the wealth, the enterprise
and the progress of the city and the country |
in trade relations with 1t, then 1t would be |
pursuing course which has elsewhere been |
adopted with most gratifying results.
LIBRARY.
am exercising all due diligence in collect |
ing library this institution. The number |
of volumes already accumulated is sufficient |